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Student Highlight: Calvin Graning

This month we had the honor to get to know more about a soulful student of Full Circle Yoga, Calvin Graning. His message reminds us the importance of conscious breath, stillness, and being absolutely attuned with your body inside and out. Calvin is a great example that any BODY at any stage of life can practice yoga even with injuries or other hardships. He has gained mobility, confidence, and compassion with himself and others through his practice on the mat.

Calvin has always been a seeker of the soul. He first found this in Kung Fu and the internal meditation practice that comes with such a discipline. It wasn’t until his ego led him into the competition side of Jujitsu. As we all get distracted and sway from the path, Calvin was no different. He was young, strong, and ego driven during this time. This was what ultimately led to his retirement from Jujitsu, due to the toll it took on his body that he still deals with till this day. However, his heart never led him to far astray from the path. The journey commenced once again and he found yoga, mountain biking and other outdoor activities along the way. He considers these to be an important “spiritual pursuit to get outside in quiet spaces, without the noise of life.”

When Calvin isn’t outdoors or doing his role “by looking out for people” as a property management handy man, he can often be spotted at Full Circle Yoga embodying his own practice. “I have become skilled at finding a healthy edge. This was not always the case, and now I’m working with all the bodily challenges that come from youth and bravado. The Edge can be a trap if you let it. It can be an excuse to avoid working hard or to not have the courage to move to a higher level, but I’ve learned to relate to myself in an honest way that allows me to find a sustainable and truly healthy edge. That is why my practice looks so different from day to day.” He continued to lovingly say the he hopes others would be inspired to do the same, to listen and nurture their bodies on the mat. “It’s called a practice for an important reason there is no end goal, to maximize your happiness and enjoyment, treat every moment on the mat as a culmination of your practice.” It was inevitable his compassion for himself also led to compassion towards others, especially when talking about Full Circle Yoga’s community. “Yoga keeps me moving in the right direction and connected to other fellow seekers.”

After searching around at different studios he found Full Circle Yoga to be one of his yoga homes. He said it simply feels like family. He expressed his gratefulness for the staff and the other students, as they allow him to genuinely create space for his practice, regardless if he is heavily modifying the flow or simply standing in Samshithi. “I’m a simpleton,” he said regarding his asana practice, “from a practical standpoint the variety of class options help me to expand and explore my practice.”

Calvin’s favorite part of yoga is meditation. His knowledge of yoga extended the fact that yoga was structured to prepare our bodies for meditation. Meditation is why he returns to his mat time after time. “Being aware of your breath and to sit silently for even just three minutes is a victory.” Stillness and conscious breathing paves the way for clarity of mind and happiness, I could only imagine this resonates with many of us in our hectic busy lives.

If you too seek a sanctuary to explore your spiritual self while also gaining mobility, confidence and stillness come join Full Circle Yoga’s family. Regardless of your bodies “capability” yoga is welcoming and healing to all. Calvin is a true testament to that.